Chapter 1142: Hunting Expedition

Those words were a bit too absolute.

Chen Wen thought as he shook his head.

However, the other supplies were quite good, and after checking them, Chen Wen felt relieved.

“Well, let’s not talk too much; shall we head out?”

Chen Wen looked at the others, seeking their opinions.

Everyone nodded, indicating they were ready to depart at any time.

They placed the supplies on the horses’ backs, and each person had a horse. The two guides distributed guns and ammunition among the group.

Chen Wen received a hunting rifle equipped with a scope.

From its appearance, it somewhat resembled a sniper rifle. It was quite heavy, and the bullets were of a larger caliber.

Roland saw the hunting rifle in Chen Wen’s hand and immediately announced its name: “Sako 90S Adventure. This gun is the best among these six. It performs well at medium to long distances. One shot is enough to topple a buffalo, as long as you hit a vital spot!”

Chen Wen nodded slightly, gaining a rough understanding of the weapon he held.

They mounted their horses and, under the guides’ leadership, slowly headed towards the depths of the forest.

The first two hours were spent on the journey.

One guide led at the front while the other stayed at the rear. Meanwhile, the Black Forest hunting dogs energetically darted back and forth among the team.

Chen Wen watched this scene, feeling a bit nostalgic: “This team hunting experience is indeed exhilarating, quite grand, like the ancient nobility participating in a hunt.”

Hua Yun nodded repeatedly, fully agreeing with Chen Wen’s sentiment: “Indeed, but for me, the most thrilling moment is when you’re holding the weapon and kill the prey.”

Their conversation sparked more discussions, as they hadn’t yet reached the hunting area, prompting everyone to chat casually.

About two hours later.

With the guide ahead signaling, everyone realized they had reached the hunting grounds.

“Ahead is our destination. Many animals are raised here, and almost all the animals listed in the booklet are here. Rest assured to hunt; they are all cultivated game animals.”

The guide continued, “My colleague and I are responsible for finding game for everyone and preventing any accidents. From now on, speak quietly. These animals, though raised, are quite alert, even more so than some wild game.”

Chen Wen nodded, showing his understanding.

These animals raised as hunting targets would naturally be more sensitive to humans.

After all, wild animals rarely encounter humans; at most, they would cautiously avoid them upon seeing them.

But these animals here have been hunted numerous times. In their perception, humans are terrifying enemies; every human arrival brings death!

Thus, even the slightest hint of humans would prompt them to flee immediately.

Chen Wen took out the Sako hunting rifle Roland had mentioned.

With guidance from the guide, he adjusted the gun and loaded the bullets, preparing for the hunt.

At this point, another guide blew a whistle forcefully, causing the surrounding Black Forest hunting dogs to quickly gather around.

That guide spoke in a language Chen Wen hadn’t heard before, and the hunting dogs swiftly sprang into action.

These fierce-looking dogs wore anti-wolf collars and moved quickly.

They walked with lowered heads, sniffing the air.

These were scent-tracking dogs, with highly sensitive smell perception; for instance, their nasal cavity contained around 300 million scent cells.

Simultaneously, their drooping ears swept over the ground and air, capturing scents. Their wide nostril structure also aided in capturing scent molecules.

In the dense forest, this powerful sense of smell helped them quickly locate game.

At this moment, everyone dismounted; these were old horses that lingered behind, carrying supplies.

Everyone proceeded on foot.

This minimized noise as much as possible.

One guide drove the dogs to track game, while the other accompanied the group, offering explanations.

Not far ahead, one Black Forest hunting dog emitted a low, urgent bark from within the forest.

The guide driving the dogs immediately said, “Discovery. Please follow me, everyone.”

Everyone instinctively followed, adhering to the survival-style movement.

Fred took the lead, followed by Adam and Gaston walking side by side, with Hua Yun in the center and Roland and Chen Wen bringing up the rear.

Their seamless coordination pleasantly surprised the two guides.

But they appreciated it; it was far more hassle-free than dealing with unruly customers.

Entering the forest.

The dog-driving guide noticed tracks on the ground and, out of professional habit, was about to explain to the group.

But Adam stole the guide’s thunder.

He leisurely said, “Ah, fresh urine; looks like it was just deposited. The snow here has melted considerably, leaving few traces. We can deduce that it should be a small-bodied deer or some similar animal, though we can’t rule out it being a large-bodied deer’s fawn.”

The dog-driving guide was dumbfounded.

The reason was simple: Adam was completely right, and the information was even more comprehensive than what the guide could discern.

After Adam finished speaking, he turned to look at Chen Wen.

Chen Wen opened his mouth, intending to suggest moving forward, but suddenly realized there were two guides nearby.

He smiled awkwardly and said, “You two, please go ahead.”

Adam also realized he had overstepped, momentarily blushing with embarrassment.

“Uh, cough cough.”

Perhaps due to the cold weather, the dog-driving guide cleared his throat and said, “This guest is quite correct; this is likely a deer track. My comrades will begin tracking. These urine traces are fresh, meaning the game could be nearby. Prepare for the hunt, everyone.”

Everyone nodded.

The dog-driving guide uttered a few words to the dogs, and they sprang into action again.

However, unlike last time, the dogs acted more cautiously and orderly.

At this point, Gaston approached Chen Wen and, in a voice only the two could hear, said, “The guide is speaking Slovene. Would you like to learn it?”

“Definitely not.”

Chen Wen decisively rejected the offer.

He had been tormented enough by learning Arabic. It would be foolish to consider learning a third foreign language.

His response left Gaston a bit disappointed.

Having majored in Croatian in college—a language similar to Slovene—he understood it.

He had hoped to teach Chen Wen, but without interest, that plan had to be shelved.

As Gaston was about to speak.

Ahead, the Black Forest hunting dogs scouting the area suddenly dropped to the ground.

Simultaneously, they emitted a very low growling sound, coming from their throats, but with minimal volume.

The dog-driving guide immediately raised his right hand, signaling everyone to halt.

He slowly said, “The game should be nearby. Stay alert; if you spot the game and have a clear shot, feel free to fire.”

Upon hearing this, Chen Wen picked up his weapon and used the scope to survey the surroundings.

The guide up front also lifted binoculars, attempting to locate game nearby.

But before he could discern the surroundings, a muffled gunshot suddenly erupted from the rear.

The hunting rifles everyone carried were equipped with something resembling silencers; the sound wasn’t loud, but it startled the guide.

He reluctantly lowered the binoculars, thinking that one guest might have become excited or nervous, causing a misfire.

A misfire was a minor issue, but the sound could scare off the game.